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Wolde Harris

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Wolde Harris
Personal information
Full name Wolde Selassie Amefika Jaha Harris
Date of birth (1974-01-26) 26 January 1974 (age 50)
Place of birth Kingston, Jamaica
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
Colorado Rapids (assistant)
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1995 Clemson Tigers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996 Colorado Foxes 27 (17)
1997–1999 Colorado Rapids 83 (26)
2000–2003 New England Revolution[1] 91 (24)
2003 Kansas City Wizards 10 (0)
2004 Charleston Battery 8 (2)
2004 Bodens BK 17 (4)
2005 Colorado Rapids 10 (1)
2006–2009 FAS
2009–2012 Winnipeg Alliance
International career
1997–2002 Jamaica 28 (7)
Managerial career
2010 Kingston College (assistant)
2011 Clemson Tigers (student assistant)
2015–2020 Colorado Springs Switchbacks (assistant)
2019 Colorado Springs Switchbacks (interim)
2021– Colorado Rapids (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Wolde Selassie Harris (born 26 January 1974) is a Jamaican football coach and former player. He played as a striker in Major League Soccer and was the 1996 A-League MVP & Rookie of the Year. He earned twenty-eight caps with the Jamaica national team.

Club career

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Harris played college soccer for his freshman year at the University of Connecticut and then transferred to Clemson University, leaving as the college's all-time leading scorer with 76 goals in three years. He joined MLS for the first time in 1997, after spending 1996 with the Colorado Foxes, leading the A-League in goals with 17. Harris played three seasons with the Colorado Rapids, scoring 13 goals in 1998.[2]

New England Revolution

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On February 6, 2000, Harris, along with a third round pick in the 2000 MLS SuperDraft, were acquired by the New England Revolution from the Colorado Rapids in exchange for New England’s first- and second-round picks in the 2000 MLS SuperDraft.[1] Harris made his Revolution debut in the season opener of the 2000 New England Revolution season on March 18, 2000 against the Miami Fusion.[3] He scored his first Revolution goal on April 1 against the LA Galaxy, and made his home debut on April 15, in the Revolution's home opener against D.C. United.[3] Wolde's best season with the Revs was his first, when he scored 15 goals and recorded 7 assists, finishing the season as the Revolution's scoring champion.[3] He also led the team in matches played and matches started.[3] For his efforts, Harris was named Revolution Most Valuable Player for the 2000 season.[3] He additionally claimed MLS Player of the Week honors for week 19.[3] Harris' production tailed off in the 2001 season, recording only 3 goals and 5 assists in 21 games played.[3] In 2002, Harris would start only 11 matches for the Revolution, recording 4 goals.

Perhaps Harris' most famous moment for the Revolution came during the 2003 season, when, on June 28, in a 3-2 home victory over the Colorado Rapids, he sent a 5th minute bicycle kick passed Rapids keeper Scott Garlick, only for referee Noel Kenny to rule the goal hadn't crossed the line.[4] The "goal that wasn't a goal" was considered what would've been a candidate for MLS Goal of the Year and one of the best goals in league history.[4][5] Harris recorded a consolation goal 2 minutes later.[5]

In total, Harris would spend three-and-a-half seasons in New England, before a trade to the Kansas City Wizards midway through 2003.[6] The deal saw the Revolution acquire strikers Darío Fabbro and Chris Brown from the Kansas City Wizards in exchange for Harris, Jorge Vazquez, and a conditional SuperDraft pick.[1]

Later Career

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He spent 2004 with Swedish club Bodens BK before coming back to MLS and Colorado in 2005. In eight years in MLS league play, Harris scored 51 goals and added 31 assists. He signed for Salvadoran outfit Club Deportivo FAS in August 2006 and retired at the end of the season.[7]

International career

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Harris has also played for the Jamaica national team, earning over 25 caps and scoring 7 goals. He participated in world cup qualifiers, tournaments, and numerous friendlies. He played his last international game against Guadeloupe in 2002 in the Caribbean Cup where the Reggae Boyz were crowned Champions.

Coaching career

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Wolde Harris has been involved in youth football in the United States and Jamaica. In December 2009, he launch a company called Jamaica Grassroots football company with his father and brothers. Harris and along with his father and two brothers also coached at traditional Jamaican football powerhouse, Kingston College. Harris joined the staff of Clemson University in 2011 as a student assistant coach and continued to help the Tigers through 2012.

On 26 February 2021, Harris joined Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids as an assistant coach.[8]

Personal life

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Wolde Harris is the son of Kingston College, Michigan State University and Jamaica soccer legend, Trevor "Jumpy" Harris.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Club History Coach and Player Registry" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  2. ^ "COLORADO RAPIDS SIGN A-LEAGUE'S HOTTEST "DISCOVERY" WOLDE HARRIS". Intermark. 13 February 1997. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g 2024 Media Guide. New England Revolution. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  4. ^ a b "An unbelievable night for Harris". 29 June 2003. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  5. ^ a b Lemieux, Jeff (18 October 2016). "History Lesson: Recapping every team MVP through the Revs' first 20 seasons". Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  6. ^ Dell'Apa, Frank (4 July 2004). "Harris still searching for a home". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
  7. ^ Player profile - CD FAS
  8. ^ "Wolde Harris and Chris Little Join Rapids Coaching Staff as Assistants". www.coloradorapids.com. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
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